Two women were hit and killed by a Tobu Tojo Line train in Highashi Matsuyama City on Monday in an apparent suicide (NHK)

SAITAMA (TR) – Saitama Prefectural Police are investigating what is believed to have been a suicide after two women were hit and killed by a train at a crossing in Higashi Matsuyama City on Monday, reports Nippon News Network (July 3).

At just before 1 a.m., the women were struck and killed by a semi-express train of the Tobu Tojo Line originating from Ikebukuro Station at a crossing between Takasaka and Higashi-Matsuyama stations.

According to police, the driver of the train saw the women on the tracks together but he was unable to stop in time after applying the emergency brakes. The crossing gate was down at the time of the incident, Tobu Railway said.

Police are now working to identify the women.

Regular train services beginning on Monday morning were not delayed due to the incident.